Colton-Pierrepont’s Whiz Quiz team headed to national quiz face-off in Minneapolis

Tuesday, April 8, 2014 - 8:47 am

COLTON -- Colton-Pierrepont’s Whiz Quiz academic team is going to Minneapolis, Minn. in May to compete in a national quiz competition.

This past fall, seniors Andrew Jenkins, Noah Whalen, Kieran Perry, and junior Eve Whalen competed in the local Whiz Quiz tournament televised by WPBS in Watertown. They finished in second place, defeating teams from Madrid-Waddington, Sackets Harbor, Lafargeville, and Hermon-DeKalb.

In December, CPCS went to the Pre-Holiday Academic Tournament at South Burlington High School. They finished 20th out of 42 teams overall in the qualifier for national tournament competition. But in the category of small schools (enrollments of 500 students or less in grades 10-12), the team finished fifth out of 25 schools, and Andrew Jenkins, who has been on the Whiz Quiz team since he was a freshman, was ranked 13th out of the 266 students for points scored.

The team’s ranking qualified them for a wild card spot in the 2014 National Association of Quiz Tournaments Small Schools National Championship Tournament at the Minneapolis Hilton May 2 to 4.

Because of their success, the CPCS school board and administration granted the team permission to attend the tournament, and are covering the tournament entry fee and cost of accommodations. Andrew, Noah, Kieran, alternate Sabrina Johnson, and advisors Mark Lee and Donna McGinnis will be going up against 47 other teams from all over the country. The team is using the prize money from their second place finish in Whiz Quiz toward the airfare to Minneapolis, and are seeking donations to help pay for the rest.